The Return to the Land of Snow!
by Shaxra15
Summary: Free from Doto's tyranny the Land of Snow has become truly prosperous, but…only a few years later and rumor has it Doto is back and wants…a second chance? Debating Koyuki acquires Team 7's assistance once more, along with Jiraiya. Meanwhile something else is going on behind the shadows…What happens when Orochimaru becomes interested in the flourishing land and its technology?


_DISCLAIMER: I'm only typing this once-I DO NOT OWN NARUTO, QUOTES OR THE MOVIE! Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto, ect. bla bla bla. If I owned Naruto I would (SPOILER ALERT) let Sasuke die or else he give up on his stupid Hokage plight (which in my personal opinion is the equivalent of Been-a-dic Arnold asking to be PRESIDENT!) and I would finish freaking Madara in one chapter. And I would have Naruto break the Hyuuga curse by…well…you know 8D Ruining the bloodline heee heeee heeeeee. _

_(I INTERNET BET that someone, most likely Obito, ends up using the reviving jutsu that Nagato used to bring characters back killed in war! Like Neji and possibly Gai…SHAXRA SO CALLED IT!) _

_SIDE NOTE: please be patient with me-this story hopefully gets more interesting as it goes but I need to begin explaining a lot of things in the beginning of the story so I kinda feel it's boring…for now but it'll cook up._

_-xXx-_

**SCENE 1-**_**Sailing in the Sunlight**_

_Full many a glorious morning have I seen _

_Flatter the mountain-tops with sovereign eye,_

_Kissing with golden face the meadows green,_

_Gliding pale streams with heavenly alchemy_

-William Shakespeare, "Sonnet 33," line 1

_-xXx-_

"We're almost there now." The older man's sagely voice broke the boy's concentration on the waves lapping against the ship's exterior that he'd been watching so intently for some time now. It wasn't everyday they got to _sail _towards their next mission. And it wasn't everyday that the famous sage and author got to join the young team on said mission. In fact, now that the boy thought about it, it was the first time. _Ever._

Naruto smiled, the wide grin practically taking up all his face. "I know, Ero-Sennin. I've been through here before, remember? This is where the ice berg they started filming at for the last Fuūn-Hime movie used to be."

Closing his eyes he could picture the fight that had broken out when the trio of Snow ninja had attacked on that ice berg-the chaos let loose, and he found satisfaction knowing it was all gone now. Evidence of the battle had long melted away, and in doing so it fully liberated an easily assessable passage to the Land of Snow that was used for trade and tourism on a daily basis nowadays. He opened his eyes again, revealing a duo of blue orbs which mirrored the open sky above them and the sea below.

Naruto's eyes were beaming beneath the dark shades of his sunglasses, nearly as bright as the sun itself. Outside the boat's cabin, where the rest of the team was resting, it was dazzling brightly as the sun happily shone into everything that its glorious rays could reach. It was impossible not to let that light in and fill even your soul with its potent exuberance. Though…out on the open sea, its light was a_ wee_ little too much-but hey, he wasn't going to complain.

This weather, this warmness, used to be completely unheard of in the Land of Snow, but, nonetheless, the unheard of-the _impossible_-was here, having conquered over winter's total domination with the help of the heat generator that the Hex Crystal had unearthed just a few years ago.

Naruto must have told his mentor the story at least hundreds of times, thousands really. He might have stretched a few parts, having been a kid and all during the mission, and forgotten to even mention the fact he'd been…captured and chakra negated, but the basic core of the story had still been unabridged.

As he had bragged to Jiraiya he _solely_ took the dictator, Kazahana Doto, down (he seemed to be "forgetting" to mention that the man's armor had been cracked by someone else before he got to him that final time) and freed an _entire_ land from winter's heinous clutches! (Technically it had been Doto who had used the crystal but who cares about those tiny, pointless details?)

So he was extra giddy with Jiraiya's presence on this mission. Come on-he totally had bragging rights. Not to mention, how cool was it that Jiraiya was joining them! Holy crap-it was _awesome _going on a mission with the team _and_ Jiraiya!

Although…according to the old sage he was going just to meet with the director, Makino, and the lead, "Yukie Fujikaze" and sign off on yet-another-sequel movie deal. On that thought Naruto sighed. He was still mourning over the end of the Fuūn-Hime movie series-once a series is no longer ongoing the fandom just slowly dies out and fades to just another faint memory from the pleasant days of childhood.

Why did Jiraiya's trashy series have to take over in filming obligation and become the money bringer? Icha Icha's popularity was utterly ridiculous! The lone Genin could just picture his silver-headed sensei poring into his worn copy's pages right now while at Konoha's Hospital when he should be resting his eyes, instead. Geez, he'd been thumbing through his copies for years yet never grew tired of it. Jiraiya had adults downright addicted, that's what it was: _addiction_.

Putting that aside Naruto _did _have to commend Koyuki for all the roles she played, on camera and off. Ever since melting from a heartless ice queen, she had become even more of a successful, beautiful woman and one hell of an actress. Who would have thought that a daimyo could also be an actress on the side? He would have to remember to ask her later how she pulled it off.

His open grin became a small closed smile at the thought of how she had reached both of her childhood dreams. He wished he could reach his dreams, too, very soon, and he'd tell her as much, again. He also couldn't wait to see her to congratulate her in person, get a proper autograph this time, beg for another Fuūn-Hime movie…and show off his new updated Rasengan, of course! Man, if she was impressed by the original version, dyed seven colors by the Glacier Mirrors, the bigger version of his Rasengan would _blow _her away! He laughed at his cheesy musings.

There was just so much to catch up on-and he couldn't be happier to acquaint with an old friend…especially considering how the last mission, reuniting with Sasuke only to fail once again, went terribly. Regardless the pleasant atmosphere, the dark waves throwing themselves against the small ship threatened to swallow his attention again, but a voice broke his thoughts.

"It's great to meet you, in person," Sai said to Jiraiya as he greeted him with a bow. "You're strength is respected even in Roots." By now Naruto had long grown accustomed to traveling with the white-haired legend and being exposed to this or similar scenes', though seeing it from his teammate was kind of weird. This would be Sai and Jiraiya's first time talking, so it was only to be expected, he guessed.

Sai had just come from the cabin, and like the rest of the team, he was dressed more casually though still mostly in black as usual. While Naruto, like him, wore a black shirt, Sai had dark pants while Naruto stuck with his white shorts. Jiraiya was the only one who still wore his usual uniform.

The sage nodded his head. "And it's nice to meet the newest member of my lil' gaki's team. You're pretty impressive yourself for your age." Naruto fought the urge to roll his eyes.

Sai then pulled out a book from his backpack. Naruto, noticing the title and picture on the cover, cringed. Jiraiya's series couldn't be worse for the socially awkward team member to pick up human behavior from. "I like to read…and I started on your series. Can you sign my copy?"

Unlike his pupil, Jiraiya was absolutely joyful for his series' attention. He pulled out his brush and began signing. "You go by Sai, right now-correct?" Jiraiya asked, in a pleased voice as he signed his name. In only moments the brush swept across the page in flawless smooth swiftness, purely out of habit, as he had signed his name thousands of times in this manner.

"Yes." Sai smiled. "And thank you for writing your books-I've learned so much from them."

Naruto inwardly shuddered and prayed to Kami Sai would not take after any of the characters-especially around the Daimyo. That's the last thing he needed. It's taken forever just to break Sai from making inappropriate comments regarding testicle sizes, and Naruto had a suspicion it wasn't quite over yet.

Although, when it came to missions Sai became exceedingly serious. But unfortunately this mission was masked by casual clothes, and an air of tourism, as a way to not gain any unnecessary attention for the time being. To another ship, this one would just seem typical and nothing worthy of attention. Koyuki had mentioned there was a lot to explain about this mission and they needed to discuss it in person. In fact, as soon as the small ship docked they'd head to the set to meet up with her as the actress, thus the casual clothes, and go from there.

As Sai and Jiraiya briefly conversed Naruto was suddenly struck with the feeling he was being watched. But this wasn't the same vibe he'd gotten often in his childhood but something else-it didn't seem hostile at all. Naruto turned and noticed a loan sailor staring at him, or more specifically his face. Puzzled Naruto pulled his sunglasses up and asked, not too curly, "you want something?"

Jiraiya and Sai stopped talking as they noticed, too, this strange sailor who seemed really flustered. The sailor then reddened, a baffled and giddy smile forming on his face. "Oh my gosh-you're that kid!"

"Huh?"

"Um…you have the same face as the kid from the extra footage in the final Fuūn-Hime movie collector's edition. I know it's really out of date and no one talks about it but I still love Fuūn!"

_YES!_ Finally a fellow fan! Naruto had no clue what he was talking about but the name Fuūn immediately got his full attention. She had been his idol growing up-he could practically quote every line from every movie.

"I love her movies, too!" He exclaimed happily. And it was certainly true, too. Though the theatre business wasn't as big in Konoha, and usually frowned upon at times, there was nothing wrong with some enjoyment once in a while-not to mention Fuūn had been so inspiring! "But I no clue what you're talking about. What collector's edition?"

"You know…the Making Of stuff…"

Oh. Naruto distinctly remembered the round-eyed assistant director whose eyes looked shockingly like Lee's mentioning how even a making of the movie would be famous-turns out he was right.

"In the movie…during the filming they actually used real ninjas and battles from when the Land of Snow was liberated! But in the end they couldn't use all the footage in the final version…"

Naruto frowned. He remembered the crew literally nearly breaking their necks trying to keep up with him and the others during that mission when the fights started. He still wanted to laugh at how more than once a camera guy tripped in the snow only to have the director scream at him to get up again and keep shooting no matter what-like their very lives depended on it.

When he had seen the final version of movie he'd figure they had to cut the footage out because of gaps in the story.

The sailor replied excitedly, seeming to forget his original nervousness. "Apparently the Elemental Nations Humane Association for film makers kept the director from using all the footage because they couldn't disprove that no children were harmed in the making of the film or whatever which is really stupid because you guys are ninjas…But at least that silver-haired guy was still kept in the main movie-I mean he was so_ cool_ with all those attacks, you can't get that action with simple special effects! I mean that cool electric attack and then there was a cool dragon thing-WOOH!"

He'd no doubt never seen real ninja in action, having being confined to boats and docks for the majority of his life, if not all. Seeing the man get so excited over the fights tempted Naruto to proudly boast except he wasn't all that glad that only people who bought the collector's edition would know about _all_ the real footage.

Naruto huffed, without meaning to as he sat on the rail which seemed to make the sailor nervous again. But the sailor didn't speak up to remind Naruto of the rule to stay off the rail for safety reasons, as he was too scared to speak against a ninja who had sent a bigger man literally flying... "That's not fair. Why's Kakashi get to be in Fuūn's movie and not me…."

Sakura, coming from the cabin and being dressed like the rest of team-in more casual revealing summer clothing, stated plainly, "He's an adult." Her traditional styled sundress flapped in the wind, revealing her black shorts wisely worn underneath.

"Oh shuddup." _Always the know-it-all…_

Suddenly the boat seemed to lurch up causing Naruto to fall backward, and with no rail to block him he was going to fall into the sea. With a curse he quickly summoned his chakra to his feet before the water could swallow him. Up above he heard the sailor screech in fear.

"MAN OVERBOARD! I repeat-MAN OVERBOARD!" he yelled hysterically as he ran about looking for something to throw to the teen.

Naruto chuckled-the poor guy, not seeing him hanging upside down was about to start crying. He no doubt had never lost one before, let alone had seen real chakra in action to know any better.

Naruto pulled himself up, his head popping above the rail so suddenly it caused the sailor to jump, yelping like a child who'd stepped on a bee.

"I'm alright." He smiled. The sailor nodded. Sakura hissed and gave him a warning glare that promised weeks of pain crammed into a single punch.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Sai watched the waves emotionlessly as he remembered the event leading up to this meeting they were heading towards. And how ignorant Naruto was-though he was probably being kept so with the best of intentions and good reasoning.

During the night when most of them had been asleep, Sai had been roused by a soft hum of conversation. Being raised in Roots he'd learned to wake at the faintest noise. Carefully, he had listened into Jiraiya and Yamato's private meeting. They hadn't even realized their conversation wasn't so private any more.

"_According to the reports, a guard at Yukigakure's armory had been stunned by an electric attack of some sort-but the life ending blow had been dealt by fine chakra control," Jiraiya said quietly. "Odd enough, nothing was stolen that night. The Daimyo stated she doubted it was Doto's personal doing and instead was most likely someone who does not originate from Yukigakure."_

_Sai heard Yamato stir a bit. "Do you t think it could have been…."_

"_It's too soon to say. But don't tell him-no need to get him excited."_

_It didn't take a genius to realize who they were referring to. Naruto, completely oblivious to the discussion, was completely passed out, and snoring slightly-Sai couldn't blame him, the gentle swaying of the waves made for the ultimate sleep-but the slightest inclination that his lost friend was somehow involved in this mission would have him running around like the reckless idiot he was. _

_Sai having heard what he needed to hear, too, surrendered to the dark waves of sleep._

Sai sighed. How was he going to carry on his clandestine mission with so many other things going on at the surface? No matter, he was raised a Root shinobi. He'd find a way.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

_Good Kami I need to stop starting new fics and just finish the ones I have started! (I am about 1,500 words into the next update of AGoS) Anyway this idea popped in my head and I'm going to explore it! A return to the Land of Snow-though the idea's probably already been used! Anyone remember that movie? The very first one…the one where the Princess was such a &!% $...?_

_Well my goal with this fic is, now the Land of Snow is thriving and new things are happening, to make her, and possibly Doto, more appealing and developed AND what better opportunity than this to work with Jiraiya-the writer of the books series to which our dear Yukie played the main character to in the movie adaptation (the scene after the credits she's holding the script to _Icha Icha Paradise_ and Kakashi is totally fan-guying)! Then, while I was getting more ideas I thought since Jiraiya is now in the mix it'd be fun to find a way to bring…well Orochimaru and you-know-who in, too. So…welcome to my second movie fic! Which will hopefully be lot brighter and fun than my Road to Ninja one…a lot more!_

_The time this takes place is right after the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. I think it'd be more fun working with Naruto and Sai while they're still in the beginning of their, err…friendship. Unfortunately this means Kakashi is still in the hospital…_

_I'm not currently planning any pairings but I could find a way to reference SasuSaku if desired…If ya want ya gotta request in a review :P_

_Oh speaking of Sakura, her lack of action is downright pitiful and frustrating at times so hopefully some time during this fic there will be some butt-whopping on her side._

_Oh! This fic is just in time for Spring! And I've been thinking of this movie and fic idea since the winter, too. Hahaha….As a Fruits Basket fan I'm forever obsessed with the "When the snow melts, what does it become?" analogy. I hope to work this theme in._


End file.
